Waning Moon Waxing Moon Take 2
by SaffronAngel
Summary: When something bad happens to Bella, can she handle it? Who can help her? Here's the rewrite for those who were waiting for it.
1. Chapter 1

**DISCLAIMER: **Nope not mine. Familiar characters are property of the awesome Stephanie Myer.

**SUMMARY: **When something bad happens to Bella, how does she deal with it?

**A/N: **This is the rewrite of my story Waning Moon, Waxing Moon. It wasn't working the way I wanted and so I scrapped the old version and started this one.

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Saturday night. Bella had spent all day with Jacob fixing the bikes. Right after dinner with her dad she spoke up. "Dad, I promised Jess I'd meet her in Port Angeles for a late movie tonight."

"Are you sure, Bells? That would put you back here sometime after midnight."

"I'll be fine, Dad. Really. And I'll be careful." She kissed his cheek and ran out the front door.

Charlie just shook his head. Quite a turn-around after three months of nothing at all.

As she drove down the road she tried to justify her actions to herself._ 'I heard him in town last night. Maybe I'll hear him even better if I go back to the bookstore.'_

'_Bella, this is reckless. Don't do this.'_

'_I have to. I need this.'_

'_You promised.'_

Before she knew it she had pulled into the parking lot where Edward had saved her that one night. Stepping out of the truck, she marveled for just a moment at the fact that she'd even found the place.

But then she noticed them. The same four guys who'd attacked her that night had surrounded her out of nowhere, trapping her against the side of the truck.

"Lookee here, boys. We found us a repeat. She didn't really want to go with ol' psycho boy last time."

They started pawing at her arms and then she felt their hands on her breasts and cringed. That was when they started ripping off her clothes.

The next thing she felt was the cold of the truck bed against her bare back. Two of the guys were up in the bed holding her down as another one held one of her legs. The fourth guy just knelt in between her legs and unzipped his pants. "This is what you missed that night, darlin'."

She screamed as he rammed himself hard between her legs. She started crying at that point, certain that these four would kill her before she could even try to get away.

'_I didn't want this for you. I was trying to save you. Protect you.'_

'_You left me. Left me alone and broken. Now I'm broken even more.'_

The voice in her head let out a keening wail and fell silent for a moment before beginning to hum her lullaby in her ear.

When the men had finished with her they left her lying in the bed of the truck. Somehow, she managed to drag herself out of the bed and pulled on some of her clothes. Then, she dragged herself into the cab of the truck and drove to the hospital she had passed on her way into town.

The nurse looked up as the automatic doors slid open and a teenage girl trudged into the emergency room. Running to her, the nurse noticed that it was by a sheer act of will that the girl was standing at all.

"I was raped," she managed to whisper before collapsing into the nurse's arms.


	2. Chapter 2

As the doctor looked over the young woman, a nurse found her wallet and pulled out her license. "Her name's Isabella Swan. Isn't that the chief's name over in Forks?"

The doctor nodded. "You'd better make sure he gets a phone call. We have to do a rape kit." He turned to the nurse. "If he can't authorize it, we'll need to wake her up to get permission."

Another nurse nodded and stepped in to assist the doctor. The head nurse headed out to the registration area. "I hate making this type of call."

Charlie was watching a football game on television when the phone rang. "Swan."

"Chief Swan?"

"Yes. Who is this?"

"Chief Swan, this is Maxine Alexander, head night nurse at the Port Angeles hospital. I'm calling because there's an Isabella Swan here. Do you know her?"

"She's my daughter. What happened?"

"She stumbled into the emergency room about twenty minutes ago and told the nurse on duty at the desk that she'd been raped. Then she passed out. Chief, you know the procedure. We have to do a rape kit but with her unconscious …"

"Do it. I'll sign the paperwork when I get there. Do it on my authority as her father and primary contact."

"Got it. Will you be coming down here to pick her up?"

"Yeah. Just got to make a few phone calls first." When Charlie hung up the phone, he picked up the phone book that had been sitting nearby and flung it as hard as he could across the room. Then, he picked up the phone and called his best friend.

"Billy, I need to borrow Jake for a little while. I need him to drive Bella's truck back from the hospital in Port Angeles."

"What happened, Charlie?" Billy asked after informing Jake that he needed to get over to Charlie's on the double.

"She – she was raped." Charlie's voice went cold. "If I find out who did this to my daughter …."

"Charlie, calm down. You know that you need to think more like a cop and less like a father in this case. Otherwise, you're going to scare the hell out of her."

Charlie closed his eyes and took a deep breath, wishing that switching modes was as easy as Billy made it sound. "Billy, I'm both. There's nothing I can do about that. I can't just turn one off and leave the other on. That's not who I am."

"I know that. But if you scare her, you can't help her."

"I know that part, Billy. But tell me, if it had been Rachel in Bella's situation and you in mine, would you react any differently?" Charlie hung up the phone and walked up the stairs to get his daughter some fresh clothes.

He was waiting on the front porch when Jake showed up.

Charlie and Jacob stormed into the emergency room of the Port Angeles hospital. "I'm looking for my daughter, Isabella Swan."

"Right this way, Chief Swan. She woke up just a few minutes ago." The nurse immediately led Charlie to a darkened room. "She won't talk to any of us. Won't tell us what happened."

"I'll find out." Then, Charlie took a deep breath and sighed. He didn't know how to deal with this. This sort of thing never happened in Forks. This sort of thing wasn't supposed to happen to the chief's daughter.

He walked into the room, wishing that he knew a woman who could help him with this part. He'd been trained on how to deal with rape victims of course. But how do you deal with it when it's a family member?

Bella watched her dad walk into the room, looking for all the world like he expected her to bolt from him. "I'm sorry, dad. Sorry I lied to you. Sorry that I went out like that at night."

She was crying and Charlie walked to the bed, wanting to wrap his daughter in a hug. Just before he did though, he looked into her eyes. "Hold me, daddy?" she asked in a tiny voice.

Charlie slowly wrapped his daughter up in his arms and pulled her tight into his chest. "Baby, I'm sorry. Sorry that you went through this. But you know you have to tell me what happened. I need to know so that we know how to help you."

Bella proceeded to tell him hesitantly everything about the night except for the voice in her head. Charlie would never have understood that part. She didn't tell him that she'd heard Edward humming her lullaby for her as it all happened. Charlie was crying with her when she finished telling him the story and then she saw Jacob in the doorway.

Pulling back from her dad she looked at him with the question in her eyes. "I brought him to drive the truck back for us. You'll ride in the car with me."

She nodded. "I need to get dressed." Charlie handed her the bag he'd brought with him.

"I thought you might like some fresh clothes." She nodded and he and Jacob left the room so that she could change.

On the trip home, Bella was curled up in the front seat of the cruiser tight against the door. She had fallen asleep by the time they got to the house and Charlie hated to wake her up but he needed to get her upstairs to her bed. But he knew that carrying her up the stairs inside would not be easy. He was still pondering it when Jake pulled up in Bella's old clunker.

"I'll carry her, Charlie. If that's okay with you. That way we only have to wake her up enough for her to understand what we're doing."

Charlie nodded. He bent over his daughter's form and called her name twice without touching her. He didn't want to startle her.

"Bella. Bella, honey. We're home, Bella." She opened her eyes and sat up just a little bit, groaning when she tried to straighten her legs out. "Is it alright if Jacob carries you upstairs to your room?"

She shook her head, stretching out her legs. Standing up, the young woman wobbled for a moment before starting toward the house. She stumbled several times before she made it to the front door. Jake started to walk behind her.

She turned to him, eyes filled with fear. "I'll stay back. I just want to make sure that I'm here if you fall. I won't touch you otherwise. I promise." She nodded and continued her trek to her room.

Once she was safely in her bed, during which he didn't set foot in her actual room, he came back down, Charlie thanked him. "If you want, Jake, you can crash on the couch. You can head home in the morning."

"Maybe I will. But I think that, if it's okay with Bella, I'll just stay here with her tomorrow. I'll call Dad in the morning. I'll need to talk to him."

Charlie nodded. It would be a good idea to have someone here with Bella for the next few days while he had to work. After all, if she got too scared and had no one around…. He didn't want to think of what could happen.

Jacob stretched out on the couch, his frame much too long for getting really comfortable.

Charlie went upstairs to his room, knowing that he wasn't likely to get much sleep for the next several days and wanting to kill Edward Cullen for leaving her in a position for this to happen.


	3. Chapter 3

Bella woke up to the sun shining and birds singing as if nothing was wrong in the world. She looked at the clock and groaned. Charlie was already at work. That meant she was alone in the house.

She stumbled down to the bathroom and took a shower, wishing that the water would take the memories of the previous night with them. Tears fell and she just let them.

Next thing she knew, there was a gentle knock on the door. "Bella? Are you okay in there?"

The breath she'd been holding left her lungs in a rush. It was just Jake. He must have volunteered to stay with her. Maybe she could summon up the courage to do something with him for staying with her.

"I'm okay. You just startled me."

"Sorry. I'm going to throw together some grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup for lunch. Want to join me?"

She smiled. He didn't sound like this was something he hadn't signed up for. "I'll be down in just a little bit."

"Okay."

She heard his heavy steps heading down the stairs and knew that she could get out of the shower to get dressed. As soon as she was dressed, she headed for the kitchen.

"Welcome to Chez Swan. May I show you to the best table we have?" Jacob was joking with her. She smiled and nodded before timidly taking the hand that he held out to her. He led her to the table and she sat down. In a flash, she found two sandwiches and a piping hot mug of soup in front of her.

It was fantastic. "I didn't know you could cook, Jake."

"Billy insisted that I learn. After all, not all women can cook like you." He smiled at her from where he sat across the table. "How are you doing this afternoon?"

"Why did you let me sleep so late? I thought we were going to get some parts for the bikes?"

"That can wait. After all, you were out pretty late last night, young lady. And you still need the sleep." She giggled.

"That's what I would expect to hear from Charlie. Not my best friend who's supposed to be the one helping me to stay out all night."

"Charlie has already decided that you don't need to go to school tomorrow. Besides, he called about an hour ago to say he wouldn't be home until much later. We still have some time if you still want to do that."

"I think I do. I can't let this experience dictate the rest of my life. As much as I'd like to, I can't just hide in my room for the rest of my life. I have to beat this not the other way around. After lunch, we'll go get some of the stuff we need."

Jake nodded. They ate the rest of their meal in silence. Bella washed the dishes when they finished and Jake dried and put them away. As they took care of the mundane chore, they watched the skies darken and the rain begin. Then the two of them got into Billy's truck which Jake had driven over the previous night and took off for the junkyard. Jake figured they'd see what they could get there for the bikes first and then buy brand new parts when they needed to.

The afternoon passed relatively quickly as they hunted for the parts they needed. Mostly, Bella watched as Jake slogged through the rain to find them.

There was one near incident. Bella wasn't watching where she was going and she bumped into a pile of stuff. It was a huge pile and it started teetering. Suddenly a large hand wrapped around her arm and pulled her out of the way before the pile crashed down on top of her. She looked up and saw a stranger's face looking down at her. She panicked, pulling out of his grasp.

"Bella!" Jake's voice broke through her fear as she backed away from the man who had saved her. He leapt over the mess that had fallen where she'd been standing and landed right in front of her, facing the guy that had grabbed her.

"What's wrong with her? I just saved her life," the guy demanded.

"Back off, man. Just back off," Jake growled at the man, shaking as if he was going to rip the guy's head off. He was panting like he had just run a marathon.

Suddenly, he felt a timid hand touch his back. He spun to face the one who had dared to touch him when he was so angry.

"Jake?" she asked, her voice shaking as she looked up at him. Her chest was heaving with the fearful breaths she was taking. His anger melted away when he looked into her frightened brown eyes.

"Come here, Bells. I'm right here. You're safe." He held out his arms and she stepped into him, burying her face in his chest and letting the tears flow. He turned to the man who had pulled her out of the way. "Sorry, Danny. She's had a bad experience and I'm more than a little protective right now if you know what I mean."

A light came on in the man's eyes. He nodded and walked away. Jake turned back to the young woman trembling against him. "It's okay, Bella. I'm here. It's okay." When she had calmed down a little bit, he held her back a step or two and looked into her eyes. "Do you want to head home?"

"No. I need to do this. I can't let them beat me this way, Jake. I have to be stronger than that." Just then, she noticed that he seemed a little warm. "Are you getting sick, Jake? You seem a little warm."

"I'm okay. I just panicked when I saw that stack of junk fall toward you and a hand on your arm pulling you away from me." He took some really deep breaths and realized that Bella was right up tight to his chest. When he had calmed down completely, he looked down at her. "I think we've gotten everything we can from here this time. Give me a few days to work with this stuff and then we'll see where we need to go from there."

She nodded and they went to pay for the things they'd found.

Once they got back to the garage, Bella was amazed at how many delicate tasks Jacob did with those large hands of his. She found herself smiling and talking with him. Even though he could tell that she wasn't so sure of herself anymore.

As the day wore on, Jacob knew that Bella wasn't looking forward to going to school ever and wished he could just keep her with him where she'd be safe and protected.

Bella found her mind wandering to the news that she didn't have to go to school the next day. She wondered if Charlie had told the school what had happened. She didn't want to face the pitying looks from everyone as she went between classes. She didn't think she could take that.

She also thought about the fact that she had heard him as clearly as if he'd been right there with her. Was that what it would take to hear his voice? Danger? Well then she should have no problem finding ways to hear his voice. After all, she was the proverbial danger magnet.

The sun had started to set when Billy's voice called to the teens from his front porch. Bella jumped up to help Jacob put things away but he just shrugged it off. "Just leave it. I'll work on it later tonight."

"Don't forget your schoolwork or anything." He could tell she was trying to keep him from getting in trouble. He smiled at the fact that even though her life had pretty well fallen apart, she still worried about others above herself.

"Bella?" That was Charlie's voice and they knew that they couldn't let Charlie see these things. The two of them ran out of the garage into the night. Jacob was holding her hand and he led her straight down the familiar path.

Regardless, both of them tripped numerous times. So they were laughing when they saw the house. Bella's emotional scars were still way too deep for true laughter. But it was a start.

When they saw Charlie on the back porch with Billy in the doorway behind him, they both piped up with, "Hey Dad," which promptly led both teens back to a case of the giggles.

Charlie let them know that he and Bella were staying for dinner. Of course there was to be a few others coming too.

Since the house was bound to be seriously crowded, everyone went outside to eat. Jacob and Bella sat off to one side, away from everyone else, except Seth Clearwater. He decided to join the two and promptly placed his chair right next to Bella, who looked at Jake with terror in her eyes. "Seth, why don't you sit over here, next to me?" he suggested. He gave Seth the look that told the younger man not to argue just to do as he was told.

Thankfully, Seth understood and did it. They talked for quite a while, Bella occasionally interjecting something into the conversation.

Things were good. No one was pressuring Bella to join conversation. Although Charlie was watching her. He was trying to be discreet about it but she knew. He seemed concerned and yet pleased that at least Jacob was still allowed to touch.

Charlie rode home with Bella in the truck and asked her when she was planning on seeing Jake again. "Tomorrow, after he gets home from school. I'll have Angela pick up my homework and I'll take it with me. Don't worry."

Once they got home though, Bella was scared to go to sleep. She knew that tonight would not be peaceful for her. Tonight, she wasn't under the influence of the drugs that could keep away her dreams.

She decided that she would postpone sleeping by checking her email. But she knew that it wouldn't work for long. After responding to her mother's most recent email, she knew that she couldn't put it off any longer and crawled into her bed.

She woke shuddering, her scream muffled by her pillow.


	4. Chapter 4

While everyone else was in school the next day, Bella decided to go over to the house that she had hoped would one day be her home as much as it was Edward's.

Her hands shook as they clutched at the steering wheel. She knew that there wouldn't be anyone there but maybe she wouldn't feel so vulnerable there. Maybe, for just a few minutes, she could feel strong again. As if it hadn't happened.

She found the entry to the driveway and started down it. Frightened wasn't the word for what she felt right then. This wasn't healthy and she knew it. She knew that she should just let him go. She hadn't been worthy of him before and she never could be now.

But pulling up to the house she felt a sense of calm descend over her. The forest had worked quickly, growing up around the house as if to punish it for existing.

Stepping out of her ancient truck, she walked up to the front door and turned the handle. It was locked. She pounded on the door for a few minutes before slumping to the porch with tears in her eyes. The open windows were mocking her but she just couldn't summon the strength to look inside.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry I cut myself. I'm sorry I made you leave," she sobbed.

Her head snapped up, hearing a branch snap in the trees. Moving as quickly as she dared, due to her clumsiness, she scurried for the truck. Once inside, she locked the doors and pulled away, not seeing the black wolf that stepped into the open and watched her drive away.

She didn't stop until she pulled up in front of Charlie's. And that was when she realized that she hadn't even tried to look through the windows. Why? What had she been afraid to see?

If everything had been gone, she might have wondered if all that time had been a beautiful dream concocted by a bored mind.

But if everything had still been there just as she remembered, then what? Would it send her back to the zombie state she'd been in? Or would the hole in her chest simply swallow her?

She walked into the house and went to her room where she opened her email account. She had saved everyone of the returned emails. 92 undelivered emails waiting for a new account to head for.

Bella opened a page and started typing.

_Alice,_

_I went to the house today. It was amazing how much the clearing has changed in the short time you've been gone. _

_I had a mini-breakdown on the porch. Because of that, I didn't look through the windows. I'm not really sure which I would have rather seen._

_If everything had been gone, I might have convinced myself that the time with your family was just a beautiful dream. I might have even found a NON-SUPERNATURAL way to explain the bite mark. _

_But if everything had still been there, left behind and forgotten, I would have known that it was all real and I'd been right all along. I knew that I was never good enough for HIM. He was just too perfect._

_I'll close this now. I'm going to visit a friend that holds me together. He's my sun now. He warms my frozen heart. Later._

_Bella_

Angela knocked just as Bella shut down the browser after saving the undeliverable email. Bella walked carefully down the stairs, still a bit shaken from the incident at the house. Opening the door, Angela gasped. "Bella, what's wrong?"

"Feeling kind of sick. Dad thought it would be better if I stayed home and rested today. See how I'm feeling tomorrow. You know."

"Okay. Well, call me later if you need me to get your work tomorrow."

"I will. And thanks." Angela left and Bella sat down to load her backpack while she waited to make sure that Angela had really left before heading out to the truck and firing it up. Then she headed toward the one person who would understand her.

Jacob was waiting. She felt a smile spread across her face when she saw him; a weight lifting off her shoulders.

"Hey, Bella," he beamed as she climbed out of the truck. "Ready to watch me work?"

"Hey, Jake." She waved at Billy who was looking out the window. "Aren't you sick of me yet?"

"No way," he chuckled. "And I don't recommend holding your breath for that to happen either."

When she walked into the garage, the red bike was actually resembling a motorcycle instead of a heap of scrap metal. Seeing the look on her face, he chuckled again. "I ten to get obsessive when I have project." His face fell a bit. "Although if I was smart, I'd drag it out a bit. I mean, what would you say if I had told you that I couldn't fix these bikes?"

"That would be too bad. But I'd be willing to bet we could find other stuff to do. Even homework if we got desperate."

"So you figure on coming over after this is done?"

"As long as I'm welcome, I'll be around."

"Bella," Jake started, already knowing what she was thinking. "I want you to know that no matter what happens, I am always here for you. I'm not going to let you down. Not ever. I promise that you will always be able to count on me."

"I know, Jake. And I already DO count on you. Probably more than you know." _'Probably more than I should.'_

Holding his arms open, he wrapped them around her and hugged her gently to his chest as she wrapped her arms around his waist. After a few minutes, she pulled back. He brushed the hair back from her face.

"So you really like spending time with me?"

"Very, very much. And just to prove it, Wednesday we'll do something completely non-mechanical. Since I have to …." Her voice trailed off and Jake instantly knew what she was thinking. She had to work with Mike.

She had told him about Mike's inability to take no for an answer. "If he gives you any trouble, you call me. Okay?"

She nodded, suddenly picturing the scenario in her mind.

**_SCENARIO_**

_She ran to the restroom where she pulled out her cell phone. Tears were streaming down her face as she dialed the familiar number. "Bella? What's wrong?"_

_"I need you."_

_That was all Jake needed to hear. He hung up and went straight to the truck. He drove as fast as was legal to get to the sporting goods store._

"_Where's Bella?" he demanded. _

"_What? Who do you think you are?"_

"_Answer the question and I won't hurt you."_

"_She's in the bathroom. Has been half the night."_

"_What did you do to her?" Mike's puzzled look irritated the young man. "Never mind. I'll find out from her. Where's the bathroom?"_

_When Mike pointed, Jake ran toward the small room. "Bella? Bella, I'm here."_

_The door opened and Bella all but launched herself into Jake's arms. He held her as they went to the back of the store. That's when she told him that Mike had grabbed her by the arm at one point early on in the evening. He had startled her but she overreacted and called Jake._

_Turning back toward the front of the store, Jake stormed up to Mike. "Don't you ever touch her again. If you do, I'll rip your arms off and shove them up your …."  
_

"_Jake, no!" Bella yelled running toward him. He turned around and caught her in his arms. _

"_Count yourself lucky, kid. I would never hurt you in front of her. Don't do it again." _

_Bella clocked out and the two of them left the store._

**_SCENARIO END_**

"What's up, Bells?"

"Just picturing you threatening Mike for scaring me. Telling him that you'd rip his arms off and shove them up his …"

"I get the picture. But you know that I would totally do that for you."

"I know. Sometimes it's just –" Jake opened his arms for her. She stepped back into his hug and buried her face into his t-shirt.

This was comfort. But after a moment, he pulled back. "So what are we doing on Wednesday? You mentioned something non-mechanical?"

"I'm not sure. But we can go to my place so you won't be tempted to be obsessive. I know I'm getting behind in my homework and I'll bet you are too. So why don't you bring your schoolwork and we'll work on that?"

The look on Jake's face as he agreed with her made Bella wonder just how far behind he was on his homework. And it was all her fault.

"Well we do need to start being responsible sometimes or Billy and Charlie won't be so understanding about us."

"Homework once a week?"

The stack Angela had brought her loomed in her mind with the next suggestion. "Maybe we'd better go with twice."

He sighed before reaching into a paper grocery bag and pulling out two cans of soda. He cracked the first open and passed it to Bella before popping the top on the other and lifting it. "Here's to responsibility twice a week."

"And recklessness everyday in between," Bella chimed in. They touched cans and drank.


	5. Chapter 5

When Bella arrived home that night (later than she'd thought), Charlie had ordered pizza. He didn't let her apologize though. "I don't mind. You deserve a break from all the cooking."

"Thanks, Dad."

"Are you staying home tomorrow?"

"I really should try to go to school. After all I have to work tomorrow."

"Bella, you don't have to. I can call you in sick again. It's only been three days. You can't expect to be over this in just three days."

"I have to start somewhere. Because if I don't try, I'll never get over it."

"Okay. Just don't be afraid of coming home if you feel a need to." She nodded before heading upstairs.

When Bella pulled into the parking lot and cautiously climbed out of the truck, Mike, Ben and Angela walked up to her and started talking as if nothing had happened.

Jessica and Lauren stood off to one side, glaring at her. She knew that this could turn ugly quick. As long as no one startled her, Bella would be okay.

And she was up to lunch. She sat with her old friends. Jess and Lauren had apparently decided that they would sit somewhere else. Bella's control snapped when Angela touched her hand to get her attention.

Bolting out of the lunch room, Bella left her friends wondering what had happened. She ran into the bathroom and locked the stall door behind her. The tears started and she bit into the base of her palm trying to stifle the sobs that racked her body. The door opened and she pulled her feet up, not wanting anyone to find her.

"That Bella Swan. What a freak!" Lauren's voice started.

"No kidding. I was with her in Port Angeles Friday night. Besides, look at the facts. She walked into school, plain as the day is long and instantly every boy in school wants her."

"Then she catches the most eligible boy in school, Edward Cullen. Who hasn't even looked at a girl since he started here."

"Then he leaves …"

"Her fault, I'm sure. And she turns into the ultimate drama queen. Gets herself lost in the woods and then that whole depression thing. Yeah, like she was the wronged party or something."

"We all know that his family moving was all her fault. No matter what story they left for us. And her actions Friday night, I rest my case regarding the insanity of Bella Swan."

Bella bit into her hand harder and felt rivers of tears flow down her cheeks. So that was what they thought of her.

It didn't matter now. Even if he did come back, he'd never take her back. Not if he knew what had happened to her.

She held her ground while they trash-talked her for a few more minutes before the bell ran and they had to go to class. Once she was sure the coast was clear, she stepped out of the stall and splashed her face with cool water, forcing herself to calm down before she went to the nurse's office.

Walking into the nurse's station, Bella felt her stomach lurch uncomfortably. "Bella, what's wrong?"

"I guess I'm not doing as well as I thought. Can I go home?"

"Of course, dear. Just let me call Charlie and let him know that you're heading home." Bella nodded, sitting down while the nurse made the call. "He said that was fine. Just call him if you need anything. Don't forget to sign out with Mrs. Cope."

After signing out, the young woman headed out to her truck and drove home. She went straight to her room and curled around her pillow, letting go of the tears once again.

When the tears stopped, Bella rolled over and looked at her clock. _'Time to get ready for work.'_

She got ready and packed herself a lunch that she vowed to eat.

Walking into Newton's sporting goods store, Bella saw Mike already stocking and straightening the shelves.

"Hey, Bells. Wasn't sure if you'd make it. What happened at lunch?"

"Something hit my stomach wrong. I went home and rested for a bit. I feel better now."

"Well, Angela got your work from the rest of your classes. She asked me to deliver it to you if you were here tonight."

"Thanks, Mike." She clocked in and slipped on her vest. Mike talked through most of the shift as if to update her on the whole semester's gossip.

He let her eat first and, when he went back for his break, she almost missed his chatter.

Very few people came in during the afternoon. She and Mike had all the stock put away and everything cleaned up well before close.

Overall, it wasn't a bad day, despite the fact that she would have rather spent the afternoon with Jake in the garage. Mike, thankfully hadn't tried to touch her at all.

At closing time, Mike asked Bella to go out with him to a movie on Friday. "I'm sorry, Mike. I already have plans. A study session with a friend. But maybe next Friday?" While he was disappointed, he accepted her offer.

Bella let him walk her to the truck and she checked her cell phone (she'd forgotten it in the truck) to find a message from Jake.

**Hope u have good day at work. Here if u need.**

She smiled and texted back that things were fine and she was heading home. Just as she started the ancient truck, a text came back.

**I don't have to kill him?**

**No C U tomorrow.**

**OK**

She drove home feeling a little better. She might even make it all the way through school tomorrow. At least she was determined to try.


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Sorry it's been forever since I updated this. I'm trying but I'll make no promises. I just discovered that I had 4 chapters ready to go and so I'll start there.

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Wednesday, Bella walked into school, determined to do whatever she had to in order to make it through the day. She frequently found herself relying on thoughts of Jasper to get her through difficult moments. He would have made this so much easier. _'If he can deal with going to school as bad as the bloodlust gets for him, I can get through this. At least, I know I don't stand a chance of killing anyone. Worst case scenario, I look like a bigger freak than they already think I am.'_

She walked through most of the day with her books tight against her chest and her chin resting on the top of them. Since it was a sunny day, most of the school ate lunch outside. But Bella took up a spot at the Cullen's old table in a position where she could see anyone approaching her.

Walking into gym, she handed the teacher a note to excuse her due to a 'sprained ankle'. The doctor in Port Angeles had thought it a good idea to make sure that Bella didn't have to change for gym class for at least three weeks. That would give the bruises on her back, upper arms and thighs a chance to fade before anyone saw them.

Jake was coming over today and she wanted to make something that he could take to Billy easily. She thought hard for a few minutes. Lasagna. It was perfect. Now what did she need to buy in order to make it.

The sound of a ball slamming into the bleachers next to her startled Bella. Noticing the time, she started packing up her things and getting ready to leave. She didn't see the smirk on Lauren's face as she trudged out of the gym.

Thankfully, the store wasn't crowded when she got there and she was able to get in and out with what she needed quickly.

She got to the house and started right in on the lasagna. She only had about 10 minutes before Jake showed up.

"Hey, Bella. Are we doing schoolwork today?" Jake's voice startled Bella. She had been working in the kitchen and hadn't heard him pull up. Much less knock on the door or walk in.

The look on her face as she spun to face him made the teen pull up short. "I'm sorry, Bells. I thought you heard me."

She took a deep breath when she saw his face and set the knife back down on the counter. "It's okay. I shouldn't have been so blindly focused on this." She made a sweeping gesture toward the sprawl set up there.

"What are you making?"

"Lasagna."

"Great! I've been starving all day!" The smile faded as he walked over to his best friend. "Really, Bella. I'm sorry. I should have made more noise coming in."

Stepped up to him and put a hand to his cheek. "Jake, I'm not mad. You just startled me. That's all." She frowned. "Are you okay?"

"Feel great. Why?"

"You're hot. I mean," she started, shaking her head. "Your cheek feels awfully warm. Are you sure you feel okay?"

"I feel great. Honest, Bella. I really do."

"Okay. Just give me a few minutes to finish putting this together and we'll get started." She smiled up at him and turned back to the counter. As she lifted her hands to get back to work, she noticed a tiny tremor. She stilled it quickly, taking another deep breath. And hoped that Jake hadn't noticed it.

He noticed. But he also noticed how quickly she got herself back under control. He smiled. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Why don't you sit down there at the table and talk to me while I work? Tell me about some of your classes. What assignments you have. Things like that. And you can ask me questions about my classes and assignments."

Jake sat down and talked while Bella worked. Before the two knew it the lasagna was ready to go in the oven and they headed into the living room to start homework.

When Charlie came in, he didn't seem at all surprised to see the two laying on the living room floor with school books all over the place.

The smell of lasagna had spread throughout the entire house.

After dinner, Jacob left the house, taking a plate for Billy.

The next day Bella had no plans. She wasn't supposed to go to Jake's and there wasn't a shift to work. So she trudged through the day at school. She felt lost and clung to the thoughts of how easy this would be if Jasper were there. She thought about how proud Jasper would be of her for working through her fear like this. How much he would help her by easing her fears.

But he wasn't here and she had to face this alone. She couldn't tell anyone because then everyone would know what had happened to her and she couldn't stand that.

Again, she was sitting in gym class on the bleachers watching her class. She was lost in thoughts of how this would change things if Edward were to decide to come back.

DAYDREAM

_Bella was sitting in the meadow when Edward found her. She had been there for hours just reveling in the sensation that he would find her here and hold her telling her that he loved her. _

_He wrapped his arms around her for a moment as they sat in the sunshine, her back to his chest. "So, love, what did you do while I was gone?" he started. As if he had just gone hunting._

"_I went crazy without you, Edward. I didn't know what to do. I started hearing your voice one night while I was in Port Angeles with Jessica. You were telling me not to do something. It was dangerous. You reminded me that I had promised not to do anything reckless."_

"_You did promise."  
_

"_I know. But I had to hear your voice again. I felt so lost without you. And the memories hurt too much. So I did reckless things to hear you. I went back to Port Angeles alone the next night. To that area where you saved me. They found me."_

"_Who found you, love?" _

"_The guys that you saved me from before. They found me and did what they were going to do that night."_

_Edward let go of her and pulled away. "You mean…?"_

"_Yes, Edward, they raped me."_

_He stood up and moved away from her. "You did something reckless and you got raped. I'd say that was no more than what you deserve for breaking your promise to me."_

_Her mouth dropped open. She'd known he wouldn't take this well but for him to say such a thing …. _

"_Don't look so shocked, Bella. You couldn't possibly think that I would still want you after you tell me something like that?"_

"_But, Edward, I did it to keep you in my mind."_

"_It doesn't matter. You are soiled. Tainted. Spoiled." He turned and walked away from her only to turn back at the edge of the woods and look at her. "And I thought you were something special." Then, he turned and left her._

_DAYDREAM ENDS_

She never saw it coming. The ball hit her square in the face. Lauren laughed as she watched Bella fall backwards, hitting the back of her head on the bleachers.


	7. Chapter 7

Opening her eyes, Bella groaned, drawing the attention of the nurse adjusting the IV in her arm.

"There you are, Bella. I was beginning to wonder if you were going to wake up." She gently touched Bella's arm. "I'll just call Dr. Gerandy. He'll be happy to know that you're awake." The older lady walked out of the room.

Bella sat up and looked around, realizing that she was in a hospital room. She sank back against her pillows and groaned. She was certain that Charlie had already been called. In fact he was probably sitting just out in the waiting room now.

Dr. Gerandy walked into the room. "Hello, Bella. Nice to see you awake. How do you feel?"

"My head hurts."

"That's to be expected. From what your gym teacher tells me you hit your head rather hard on the bleachers. At least it wasn't bleeding." He took a deep breath. "What were you thinking of that had you so distracted?"

"Nothing."

"Okay. If you don't want to tell me, maybe you'll tell your dad. We had to call him when you were brought in here." He sighed. "Maybe you'd be willing to tell me where all the bruises came from?"

The terror in her eyes spoke volumes to the doctor. She was shaking her head as he held up his hands. "Okay. I get the picture."

"I will tell you this much. Charlie didn't do that to me. It wasn't anyone here in town in fact."

Just then, Charlie walked into the room, saving Bella from having to tell the doctor anything more. "Bella! When the school called to say that you were on your way here, I panicked. What happened?"

"I hit my head on the bleachers."

"Apparently, she was distracted by something and one of the balls hit her in the face. It knocked her backwards and she was knocked out when her head hit the bleachers." The doctor provided a little more information. "Charlie, do you know about the bruises?"

"I do. But we don't talk about them, doctor. It doesn't help to talk about them." Charlie leaned down and kissed Bella's forehead after looking her square in the eye to make sure that she knew what he was doing. "Bella, I'm going to step out in the hallway and talk to the doctor for a moment. I'll be right back in."

She nodded. "Okay, Dad."

Charlie left the room and Bella heaved a sigh of relief. She didn't want to tell anyone about the rape. She knew that eventually she'd have to tell someone who didn't know about it and she really wasn't looking forward to it.

Pulling into the driveway at the house, Bella walked into the house and sat down on the couch. "No plans with Jake today?"

"Nope. We hadn't said anything."

"Well, he left a message on the answering machine asking where you were." Charlie smiled at his daughter. "Maybe you should call him."

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. Charlie opened it and stepped off to one side as Jake came barreling into the house. "Bella, where have you been?"

"Right here. Did I forget about something we decided to do?"

"I was just worried about you. You've been to the house or had me come here ever since it happened." Then Jake got a look at her face where the ball hit her. "What happened?"

"I guess I got hit in the face with a ball during gym class. I fell backwards and hit my head on the bleachers. It's no big deal, Jake. You know how accident prone I am."

"Bella, if you could see your face the way I do right now, you'd understand why I'm reacting this way."

"Jake, I love the fact that you want to protect me but you can't always step in front of errant balls for me." She wrapped her arms around the neck in front of her and squeezed.

"I promised you something and I don't ever want you to forget it. I don't care what you need. I'm here for you." He buried his face in her hair and squeezed gently in return.

"I know, Jake. Thanks." She sat for a moment just enjoying the embrace. "Well, since you're here now, why not stay for dinner and then take some home to Billy?"

Jake sat down next to Bella for a moment and looked as if he were deep in thought. Bella's eyebrows shot up and she looked at her dad. He was fighting back the chuckles. She giggled.

"I guess I could stay for dinner. What's on the table?"

"Lasagna. I made way more than we could eat last night. Leftovers. That's what's on the menu for tonight."

He heaved a sigh. "I guess. If that's all you have to offer." Bella smacked his shoulder and laughed hard.

Jake chuckled as he watched his best friend laugh. _'That's what I needed to see. And I'm sure Charlie's glad to see it too.'_

Later that night, Bella and Charlie wished Jake a good night as he left with another plate of lasagna for Billy. Jake grudgingly admitted that Bella deserved to add a year to her age because she really could cook.

Bella giggled as Jake gave her that. She knew that had hurt his ego to say but she appreciated the fact that he swallowed his pride and said it anyway.

Slowly, she climbed the stairs, not really wanting to go to bed, fearing the nightmares that would come.

She could feel the headache that the doctor had warned her about lurking behind her eyes. Thankfully, he had prescribed some serious painkillers for the pain. She took one after her shower and crawled into her bed.

Sleep claimed her. Nightmares couldn't invade that night.


End file.
